Newport, R.I. — The final day of the inaugural Women’s International Championship presented by State Street Investment Management and SPY saw Megan Grapengeter-Rudnick and Team Vigilant facing unexpected challenges in a dying breeze. Despite finishing sixth, seventh, and tenth, their overall performance throughout the regatta secured their historic victory. After four days of exceptional sailing, their scores were sufficient to clinch the title.
“When we started the project, the goal was to win this event,” said Stephanie Roble, tactician for Team Vigilant. “But there’s so much that goes into it. Over the last few years, we focused on becoming the best version of ourselves. It’s been rewarding as a team, with many highs and lows throughout two years of training. We’re proud that it all came together at the right moment.”
To maximise sailing conditions, the race committee moved the start time forward by 90 minutes, anticipating a dying easterly breeze. While victory was mathematically possible for several teams, the focus shifted to the minor placings, particularly the battle for second and third, which saw seven teams within a 10-point range.
“We had a tricky northerly out there, and then the easterly came in, which was brand new for us,” remarked Michelle Lahrkamp, skipper for the Fair American team. “We just stayed focused on the boat. Our speed team was really dialed in.”
The day unfolded with competitive racing, as teams vied for positions. The dynamics shifted quickly with the easterly breeze causing fluctuations in placements. Hannah Swett and Team MO-Amundsen managed to recover from difficult positions, while Lahrkamp and Sarah Douglas held control over the podium.
“We started the day with a bang, winning the first race,” Swett stated. “Going into the final day, we just had to do well. It was a very hard day, but we ended well.”
Ultimately, Grapengeter-Rudnick and Team Vigilant’s consistent performance in the first seven races ensured their lead. Roble noted the impressive fleet of women competing and highlighted the team’s focus on learning and improving throughout the event.
The championship not only marked a significant achievement for the winning team but also fostered camaraderie among participants. Grapengeter-Rudnick expressed her enthusiasm for sailing with new teammates, hoping for future collaborations.
5th Place: “The last race was fantastic. We took a bit of time to find our mode in the first race, but second and third race proved that we had our mode. We were so close to first, but we also recognized to protect second, rather than to do something risky for first place. It was a really nice way to finish: to know that we are the first team outside of the North American circle, and to know that this is only the beginning for us. The best thing about our team is we were together, we were saying how do we build and move forward, and we were still talking, we were still laughing. We had some very long debriefs, but we came back together, and that’s the exciting thing about a strong team.” – Katie Spithill, Helmswoman, Team Shaw and Partners Women Racing
The regatta concluded with an awards banquet celebrating all competitors, reinforcing that every team took away valuable experiences from the event. Special awards included the Helly Hansen Sportsmanship Award, presented to Dominique Provoyeur and Team Granate RSA, who travelled from Cape Town, South Africa, to compete. Additionally, the Palm Beach XI Training Scholarship was awarded to Grapengeter-Rudnick, Joan Porter, Mariah Millen, and Laura Donaghy.
Results
1. Megan Grapengeter-Rudnick (USA) (3,1,2,2,1,3,4,6,7,10; 39)
2. Michelle Lahrkamp (USA) (8,8,5,5,4,15,3,3,2,9; 62)
3. Hannah Swett (USA) (14,2,11,1,3,5,10,1,13,7; 67)
4. Sarah Douglas (CAN) (16*,5,6,4,5,6,7,4,1,14; 68)
5. Katie Spithill (AUS) (10,6,20**,10,2,2,6,12,3,3*; 74)
6. Ragna Agerup (NOR) (2,3,4,17,8,4,14,2,16,13; 83)
7. Nicole Breault (USA) (14*,4,3,14,6,8,5,7,19,3; 83)
8. Hannah Diamond (GBR) (6,7,1,3,11,14,8,17,6,15; 88)
9. Laura van Veen (NED) (8*,15,10,11,17,7,2,14,4,1; 89)
10. Lisa Ross (CAN) (4,9,16,18,14,17,11,5,10*,4; 108)
11. Karyn Gojnich (AUS) (5,17,20,15,7,16,1,8,10,12; 111)
12. Lijia Xu (CHN) (20,10,15,7,16*,13,19,10,5,5; 120)
13. Ida Svensson (SWE) (1,11,7,16,10,10,18,13,NSC,18; 125)
14. Megan Thomson (NZL) (19,18,9,12,13,11,13,16,8,6; 125)
15. Dominique Provoyeur (RSA) (11,13,12,13,12,12,15,15,11,11; 125)
16. Christina Wolfe (USA) (17,16,8,19,16,1,17*,18,12,8; 132)
17. Katrina Williams (BER) (16,14,19,20,9,9,9,11,14,20; 141)
18. Lena Weißkichel (GER) (9,12,15*,8,18,18,12,19,17,16; 144)
19. Marie Klok Crump (DEN) (12,19,13,6,20,20,17,9,15,17; 148)
20. Eliane Fierro (MEX) (18,20,17,9,19,19,21*,30**,18,19; 190)
*1-point penalty
**contact penalty
The next edition of the Women’s International Championship is scheduled for mid-September 2028, with details on the invitation process to be announced soon.
Text Credits: NYYC Women’s International Championship
Photo Credits: OUTSIDEIMAGES.COM
Video Credits: ICARUS Sports
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